Forest Health Research Program — Graduate Student Grants

The Forest Health Research Program Graduate Student Grants is administered by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection through its Fire and Resource Assessment Program. This program was established to support implementation of the California Forest Carbon Plan and broader statewide strategies addressing wildfire resilience, forest health, and climate change mitigation. The program is funded through California Climate Investments and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, and it prioritizes scientific research that informs land management, policy, and ecological resilience across California’s forested and fire-prone ecosystems. The initiative is designed to generate actionable knowledge that benefits landowners, public agencies, and fire management organizations while advancing state climate and resilience goals. The primary purpose of this grant opportunity is to fund original, graduate-level research that addresses critical forest health and wildfire science topics in California. Research must align with one or more priority themes, including wildfire recovery and reforestation, ecosystem management strategies, ecological monitoring, community resilience, traditional ecological knowledge, forest product utilization, and fire behavior prediction. Projects must be scientifically rigorous, contribute to peer-reviewed knowledge, and produce findings applicable to long-term forest and fire management decisions. Special emphasis is also placed on innovative uses of emerging technologies such as satellite-based fire monitoring systems. Funding for this specific solicitation is approximately 500,000 dollars, intended to support graduate student research projects exclusively. Individual awards are expected to range between 50,000 and 100,000 dollars, with an estimated five awards. Funds may be used for a wide range of research-related expenses including salaries, benefits, supplies, travel, equipment, and indirect costs, subject to program guidelines. Tuition and graduate student support costs are allowable within defined limits. Matching funds are not required but may strengthen an application. Projects must be completed within a defined performance period ending no later than December 31, 2029. Eligibility is broad and includes public and nonprofit universities, government agencies, tribal entities, private landowners, and nonprofit organizations. However, the research proposal must be led by a graduate student who is currently enrolled or will be enrolled in a graduate program prior to the project start date. Each project must include a faculty advisor and may involve additional collaborators or key personnel. Research must be focused on California ecosystems, although limited study areas in adjacent states may be included if justified. Applicants must also demonstrate access to study sites and secure landowner permissions where applicable. The application process involves a two step submission structure beginning with a concept proposal followed by a full proposal for selected applicants. Concept proposals must be submitted through the Euna Grants Portal and include project summaries, budget estimates, and a short proposal document outlining research questions, methodology, and qualifications. Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal including a detailed scope of work, budget, supporting documents, and letters of commitment. Applications are evaluated based on scientific merit, alignment with priority topics, feasibility, and potential impact. The timeline for this funding cycle begins with concept proposals due by July 30, 2026 at 3 PM Pacific Time. Full proposals are due November 18, 2026 for invited applicants. Awards are expected to be announced in February 2027, with project start dates no earlier than February 1, 2027. Projects may run through 2027, 2028, or 2029 depending on the selected timeline. Reporting requirements include quarterly progress reports, financial documentation, and a final technical report. The program also requires dissemination of findings through publications and public access repositories. For additional information, applicants may contact the Forest Health Research Program via email at FHResearch@fire.ca.gov or reach program staff including Max Odkins and Amanda Alsumidaie-Reynolds. The program emphasizes transparency, scientific integrity, and public benefit, requiring all funded research outputs to be accessible and contribute to broader knowledge-sharing efforts. Overall, this grant program represents a strategic investment in scientific research to improve forest resilience, wildfire management, and climate adaptation across California.

Align proposal clearly with priority research topics; demonstrate feasibility and scientific rigor; justify budget thoroughly; highlight applicability to California forest management